Summary
An immersive story can leave players with long-lasting memories and times a game made an impact on their lives. When a game constructs a story that pushes the player’s emotions to the forefront, it shows why storytelling through an interactive medium can be so much more impactful than a passive medium.
Like with movies and TV shows, the experience can be greatly enhanced by getting to experience them with other people. When watching something, this is easy, but when it comes to a game, both players need to be fully immersed in the story for it to have the greatest impact.Co-op games have come a long wayover the years and can pull both players along in such a way that they get an incredible shared experience.
Updated May 22, 2025, by Hamza Haq:While the mainstream gaming industry focuses on the single-player and multiplayer gaming experience, there are a few developers and studios that have made narrative-based co-op games their entire identity. This means that fans of the genre will find plenty of options to choose from, even if they’re not necessarily AAA-quality titles.
Players who wanted to get into theHaloseries but were unable to for the longest time will love the fact that this Xbox franchise decided to release a remastered collection of the first three games in the series, letting new players experience Master Chief’s journey from the very beginning. This is already a treat as is, but what makes this even better is that these campaigns can be enjoyed in co-op too.
WhileThe Master Chief Collectionwas rightfully criticized for its initial online matchmaking issues, most of these problems have been ironed out. What’s left now is a solid FPS experience that spans multiple games and lets players play through these legendary titles with a friend to enjoy the greatness ofHaloat its peak.
Far Cry 5was a return to form for the series after some people felt like the previous game was resting on its laurels. The engaging open world, fun optional content, and compelling villains helpFar Cry 5stand out as one of the best games in the series from both an open-world and storytelling perspective.
Not only was the core gameplay a blast to engage with, but players could also go through the game in co-op. Tackling missions with a friend makes for a great time, and it’s easy to see why most people love to play throughFar Cry 5with a buddy, tearing down the game’s villainous religious cult as they blast through enemies and bases.
A great thing about indie gaming is that certain titles decide to experiment with their narratives and try new, more interactive methods for providing player choice. Such is the case withAs Dusk Falls, which somehow turns a narrative adventure into a co-op experience where players vote on the path that the game’s stories take.
As Dusk Fallsfeatures some harrowing decision-making that can be pretty hard to deal with at times. This is a win for the game, which manages to invest players in a story surrounding a conflict between two families, each with their own dark histories, that takes place across two books. Making decisions and voting on how the story proceeds in co-op makes for a simple yet more engaging way to enjoy this story-driven experience, as each choice plays a significant role in the events that follow.
Dying Lightwas a massive success, with players loving the idea of tackling zombies while engaging in some fun parkour action. Players loved how tense things could get while outrunning zombies at night, using the safety of daylight to scrounge for supplies and progress the story. So, it was only a matter of time before a sequel to this title would come out, andDying Light 2didn’t disappoint.
While some people found the game to be a bit too bland for their liking, it wasn’t too hard to overlook these faults once players engaged with the fun traversal mechanics and excellent action. Just like its predecessor,Dying Light 2can be played in co-op with a friend, letting players enjoy a decent story as they hack and slash their way through countless zombies.
TheBorderlandsgames arguably kickstarted the trend of co-op looter shooters that have become all the rage nowadays. The second game is considered by many to be a series highlight, which is why so many fans were disappointed to find out that the third game didn’t really do anything innovative and focused on what works instead, making for a rather bland experience.
Still, this doesn’t mean thatBorderlands 3is a bad game by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, once players team up with their buddies to tackle the wealth of missions present in this title, they’ll be more than happy with what this title brings to the table.
Groundedis asurvival action-adventure gamedeveloped by Obsidian Entertainment that puts players in the shoes of a character that has just been shrunk down to the size of an ant and placed in a back garden filled with flora and fauna that towers over them, giving the game an awesome sense of scale. More than just a standard survival game,Groundedputs a lot of focus on the story aspect, delving into what caused the shrinking incident to happen and why.
Groundedallows for up to4-player co-op, with each player having to choose one of the main characters (Max, Willow, Pete, or Hoops) as their avatar. The overarching story integrates this party of four, which makes the addition of more members not feel out of place.
Few developers have the courage to tackle something as somber as death in a video game setting, but that is exactly what the indie devs at Thunder Lotus Games have achieved withSpiritfarer, amanagement simulationand action game that delves deep into what it means to die by forcing players to come face to face with this inevitable reality.
WhileSpiritfarercan be enjoyed alone, it can also be played in co-op mode, allowing up to two players to board the same ship and carry out the duties of theSpiritfarerin tandem. The game offers both online and couch co-op, allowing two players to play on the same device. Not only that, but the couch co-op experience is well thought out; Player 2 can do basically everything Player 1 can except talk to people, and the game presentation accounts for multiple participants adequately.
The thirdSaints Rowgame upped the ante when it came to the ridiculousness most people have come to expect from this series. It ramped up the comedy to the max, letting players control Playa as they engage in a wealth of over-the-top missions in a world brimming with style.
Players who may be having second thoughts about playing this game will be sold from the moment they find out that it supports co-op play. Wreaking havoc in Steelport is a ton of fun with friends, and it’s a shame that theSaints Rowremake completely missed the mark when it came to what players were expecting from this beloved open-world series.
Larian Studios has become one of the most prominent names in the video game industry, in no small part due to the release ofa much-awaited third chapter in theBaldur’s Gateseriesthat has completely blown everyone’s minds. If players are looking for an RPG that does justice to this genre, thenBaldur’s Gate 3is the perfect choice.
The sheer amount of love and effort present in every corner of the game world is truly marvelous.Baldur’s Gate 3genuinely lets players enjoy a personal story where the majority of choices they make alter the flow of the story in meaningful ways.
Given how amazing the secondDivinity: Original Sintitle is, it’s a shame that not many people talk about the first title in the series. It may have some rough edges, butDivinity: Original Sinmarked the start of something special. It’s the game that set the foundation for Larian’s rise to worldwide fame and commercial success, after all.
The CRPG is perfect for co-op play too, since the story features two Source Hunters as the protagonists of an epic tale. The story can have its issues and some gameplay mechanics are easily exploited, but two players who go through the adventure together won’t find this to be an issue in the slightest once they get lost in the game’s massive world and engaging gameplay.
